Nickname(s):
"Gateway to the World"
Demonym(s):
Hamburger
Founded:
1189
Democracy:
Developed:
European Union:
Schengen:
Euro:
National Capital:
RegionalState Capital:
Population (City):
1 845 000
Population (Urban):
2 485 000
Population (Metro):
5 107 000
Population Density (km2):
2 500
Population Density (mi2):
6 500
2nd Largest City in Germany
7th Largest City in the European Union
Largest Non-Capital City in the European Union
Language:
German
Currency:
Euro
Avg. Summertime High:
22 °C
72 °F
Avg. Summertime Low:
13 °C
55 °F
Warmest Month:
August
Coldest Month:
January
Avg. Wintertime High:
4 °C
38 °F
Avg. Wintertime Low:
-1 °C
29 °F
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The second largest city in Germany, as well as the seventh largest, and the largest non-capital city, in the European Union. Hamburg is truly one of the major cities of Europe, but maybe sometimes a little bit forgotten. Much of the history in the city was lost during WWII. Most of it was never restored, but the city has compensated for that with a new and modern look. The embodiment of this new Hamburg is the HafenCity which is built in a former warehouse district along canals. Canals in general are a recurring theme in the cityscape of the city.
Federal Republic of Germany | Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Germany
English
Deutschland
Germany
Region:
Central Europe
Area:
357 022 km2
Ranked 63 out of 195
Population:
Population:
83 190 000
Ranked 18 out of 235
Urbanization:
78 %
Ranked 53 out of 194
Capital:
Berlin
Population: 4 473 000
Largest City:
Berlin
Population: 4 473 000
Economy & Development:
Human Development Index:
Very High
Ranked 6 out of 189
Inequality-Adjusted HDI:
Very High
Ranked 10 out of 189
GDP (PPP) Per Capita:
$53 919
Ranked 26 out of 225
Democracy & Freedom:
Democracy Index:
Full Democracy
Ranked 14 out of 167
Freedom House:
Free
94 points out of 100 possible
Press Freedom:
Satisfactory
Ranked 16 out of 180
Economic Freedom:
Most Free
Ranked 20 out of 162
National Identity:
Independence Since:
1871
Independence From:
German City-States
National Day:
3rd of October
What Is Celebrated On The National Day:
The unification between East and West Germany, which was formally in effect on the 3rd of October 1990. In Germany, the day is known as "Tag der Deutschen Einheit" (German Unity Day). The date was chosen as National Day ahead of the 9th of November, the day when the Berlin Wall was torn down, and which is a more symbolic day in the Unification process, because the 9th of November was also the date of the Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) in 1938.
Facts & Codes:
Driving Side:
Right
-
Time Zone:
UTC +1 (CET)
Summer Time: UTC +2 (CEST)
Country Calling Code:
+ 49
-
Country Code:
DE
ISO 3166
German State | Deutsche Bundesland
Hamburg
English / German
Region:
Northern Germany
Area:
755 km2
Ranked 15 out of 16
Population:
Population:
1 852 000
Ranked 13 out of 16
Population Share:
2 %
Of National Population
Capital:
Hamburg
Population: 5 107 000
Largest City:
Hamburg
Population: 5 107 000
Major Cities:
-
Information:
GDP Per Capita::
$78 900
Higher than national average
Climate:
Oceanic Climate
Köppen: Cfb
Time Zone:
UTC +1 (CET)
Summer: UTC +2 (CEST)
HafenCity
Gentrified Industrial Area
Jungfernstieg
Waterfront
Reeperbahn
Famous Street
Flughafen Hamburg
IATA Code:
HAM
ICAO Code:
EDDH
Passenger Volumes:
Distance:
9 km / 5 mi (N)
Located In:
Fuhlsbüttel
Named After:
Former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt
Information:
Hamburg Airport is the fifth-largest airport in Germany and serves, apart from Hamburg proper, also most of the North-Western part of the country such as Bremen and Schleswig-Holstein. Most of the destinations are within Europe, with only a handful of intercontinental routes.
Transfer To/From:
It's very convinient to travel to/from this airport. The S1 S-Bahn line has a station underneath the terminal building. Departures are every ten minutes and it takes less than 30 minutes to the city center. When I visited in the summer of 2022 there were some construction work along this route so I had to change line at Barmbek. Even with this change it was one of the better airport connections I've encountered.
Currency:
Euro
Code:
EUR
Subunit:
Cent
Symbol:
€
Cash Or Credit:
Cash is King in Germany! It always amazes me that a country that is so technologically advanced in just about everything else is still using mostly cash and doesn't even offer cards as an option in many stores. It was however much better when I visited in 2021 than during my previous trips in 2017 and 2019. In just those two years it changed a lot, and it was now at least possible to pay by card in most medium-sized stores. There were however still places where I was not able to use my card, so you still need to bring paper cash.
Even in 2022, I faced some issues, but by now card payment is available at most places. Bring cash, but you don't have to bring as much as before. And in most cases, you could just go somewhere else instead of using cash. Most tourist attractions are now accepting card payments, something that was not the norm just five years ago.
Good To Know:
-
Local Language:
German
Language Family:
Germanic (Indo-European)
Writing System:
Latin Alphabet
What About English?
Germans previously had a reputation for not being so good at English. Today, this is completely false and nothing could be further from the truth. Germany has by far the highest proficiency in English of the major non-native-speaking countries in Europe. Only the much smaller Scandinavian and Benelux countries are better. If English is your only language, you won't have to worry about language in Germany. There is a slight generational difference though. The older generation might not always be able to help you out, but young people almost always speak more or less perfect English.
- Germany Is Closed On Sundays
It is good to know that almost all of Germany closes down on Sundays. Stores are not allowed to be open on Sundays! They are allowed to be open on four Sundays during the year, and most of them will choose to keep open during the Christmas season. Restaurants are allowed to be open, and so do tourist attractions and certain stores that cater specifically to tourists (such as souvenir shops). Those are more or less the only exceptions. Not even Supermarkets are open, so plan your purchases well and make sure to buy everything you need on Saturday already if you plan on staying over a Sunday.
Nordsee
Origin:
Founded:
Type of Food:
1896
Did I Try:
Yes
My Score:
4 / 5
About:
A German chain that serves seafood. The company was founded in 1896 in Bremerhaven to supply seafood from the North Sea to the residents of Bremen. The literal translation of the name is "North Sea". In the 1960s the current chain was developed when they, in addition to the original fresh seafood menu, also added a more fast-food-like menu with fried products.
Comment:
They have two menus. One menu consists of more a restaurant type of seafood that is served on plates, and which is arguable of higher quality. The other menu, which is the one I like better, consists of typical fast-food items such as fried shrimp or fish served with fries in paper boxes. I can highly recommend visiting this chain if you're looking for a quick meal.
One of the largest cities in Europe, yet I've never considered traveling there. So when I had expiring airline points I decided to book a trip and give the city a chance. I didn't know much about the sights and what to do. It turned out that there's not that much to do and see actually.
Do I Recommend You To Visit?
No. Hamburg was not a city that I fell in love with and I can't recommend it as a tourist destination.
Will I Come Back Again?
No.
Weather During My Stay:
The first day was sunny and very hot. It became a little bit cloudier during the later part of my stay. But in general, I had great weather during my visit so I can't blame the weather for not liking the city.
Best:
Jungfernstieg was nice, especially in the evenings.
Not As Good:
For a city of its size, I truly feel that Hamburg is lacking in tourist sights.
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Kleine Alster and Alsterarkaden. One of many artificial lakes and canals in the city.
Jungfernstieg at Lake Binnenalster is the most prominent pedestrian area of Hamburg and a place where locals and tourists meet to just relax.
Just as in Berlin, there's a Fernsehturm (Television Tower) in Hamburg. Unlike the one in Berlin, this tower is not a tourist attraction you should visit.
Reeperbahn could be the one sight that Hamburg is best known for. Go and take a look, but be prepared that it is not a pretty area.
An area that actually is pretty is the Landungsbrücken, which is easily reachable from Reeperbahn. Originally built as shipping piers, today it's a tourist attraction with restaurants, shops, boat tours, and just a pleasant place to stroll through.
Landungsbrücken is built in several tiers and levels.
A picture of Kleines Dock in the city center, taken from Hohe Bridge.
A sculpture inside the preserved ruins of St. Nicholas Church. The sculpture was created in memory of the prisoners from the Sandbostel concentration camp.
Another side of Jungfernstieg.
Wasserschloss in Speicherstadt, as it is seen from Poggenmühlenbrücke.